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Tall ship runs aground at Westport

By Amelia Dickson

The Daily World

Aberdeen’s tall ship, the Lady Washington, will soon be back on the open ocean after running aground in Westport Wednesday night.

Les Bolton, executive director of the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, said the ship is on its way to Port Angeles to be inspected and will likely continue its voyage to California this afternoon. The incident likely caused no damage to the ship’s hull, he said.

Crews were guiding the Lady Washington into the Westport Marina to fuel up for the journey south when the ship became stuck in a layer of silt.

“Westport has silted in over the years, and they were approaching at low tide,” Bolton said. “They slowly just embedded themselves into the silt. Federal regulations say that any ship that runs aground, whether it hits a rock or mud or chocolate pudding, must be inspected before setting sail again.”

The Lady Washington was taken out of the water at Platypus Marine in Port Angeles, where a U.S. Coast Guard official will inspect the ship to make sure she’s fit to sail. Bolton said the ship would begin traveling to Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, Friday afternoon.

The Lady Washington’s sister ship, the Hawaiian Chieftain is currently docked in Antioch, Calif. The ships will spend the winter in California, where crews will conduct educational programs.